Dear collective wisdom,
We have a number of faculty here who make films. Often they hint or
suggest that we should purchase their production for the media
collection. I would love to, and think we should, but while there is a
written policy for collecting faculty work in print, we don't have
anything about faculty nonprint work in the collection development
policy. =20
Apart from having no policy, there is a general atmosphere of
resistance. Some staff have suggested faculty should donate copies of
their work. Upper admin seems to think that film/video is just too
expensive (these are independent productions, so run about 150-200 a
title.)
When I went ahead and tried to purchase one instructor's film, a dean
intervened, and gave me a copy of the film that the instructor had given
to him as a gift! The instructor was quite irritated, and, I felt,
justifiably so.
We have film students who would welcome the chance to view their
instructors' work.
How do others out there deal with similar situations?

We have a =
number of faculty herewho make films. Often they hint or suggest that =
we should purchase their production for the media collection. I =
would love to, and think we should, but while there is a written policy =
for collecting faculty work in print, we don’t have anything about faculty =
nonprint work in the collection development =
policy.

Apart =
from having no =
policy, there is a general atmosphere of resistance. Some staff =
have suggested faculty should donate copies of their work. Upper =
admin seems to think that film/video is just too expensive (these are =
independent productions, so run about 150—200 a title.)

When I went =
ahead and tried to purchase one instructor’s film, a dean intervened, and =
gave me a copy of the film that the instructor had given to him as a =
gift! Theinstructor was quite irritated, and, I felt, =
justifiably so.

We have film =
students who would welcome the chance to view their =
instructors’ work.

VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.